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Another Tough Season For Olives

Farmer's Weekly

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July 19, 2019

While production statistics are not yet available, it is evident that olive production has not yet normalised following the drought in the Western Cape, said Karien Bezuidenhout, the manager of SA Olive.

Another Tough Season For Olives

Data indicated volumes would be lower this season compared with last season. “The industry had its last normal season in 2016, when production amounted to about 2,2 million litres of olive oil. Thereafter, volumes declined 30% to 40%, averaging around 1,5 million litres in both 2017 and 2018,” she said.

A lot of variation occurred between regions and cultivars, with some farmers experiencing very low yields and others experiencing average yields. Extreme heat during flowering affected cultivars, such as Mission and Leccino, much worse than others.

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